2_Cleveland Browns2

Minnesota Vikings Gameday HQ

Barkevious Mingo
SCOREBOARD
2013 2012 2011 2010 2009
PLAYOFF FINISH - - - - -
REGULAR SEASON W-L 4-12 5-11 4-12 5-11 5-11
POINTS PER GAME 19.2 18.8 13.6 16.9 15.3
POINTS ALLOWED PER GAME 25.3 23.0 19.1 20.7 23.4
YARDS PER GAME 338.9 314.2 288.8 289.6 260.1
YARDS ALLOWED PER GAME 332.4 363.8 332.3 350.0 389.3
TURNOVERS 27 23 17 28 30
TAKEAWAYS 19 29 20 28 19
Key Additions:
RB Ben Tate, WR Marlon Moore, WR Miles Austin, S Jim Leonhard
Key Subtractions:
QB Brandon Weeden, OL Chris Faulk
Rookies:
CB Justin Gilbert, QB Johnny Manziel, OL Joel Bitonio, LB Christian
Kirksey, RB Terrance West, CB Pierre Desir
DIAMOND IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES SPORT
Browns Defense
Cornerback Joe Haden is one of the main anchors on this
defense and he was recently rewarded with a long-term
extension. Opposing quarterbacks have avoided throwing the
football his way on the field because of his ability to make plays.
Linebacker Barkevious Mingo, the Browns’ first-round pick in
2013, had five sacks in 15 games last season. New head coach
Mike Pettine brings a complex blitz package and it will be up to
the defense to learn those packages. The Browns ranked ninth in
yards allowed per game last season, but they were awful in the
red zone. The opposition scored 64 percent of the time in the red
zone, which is unacceptable. The Browns also gave up the most
fourth quarter points of any team in the league – more than nine
per game. If the Browns can gain traction on the defensive line, it
will alleviate the pressure on Haden and the rest of the defensive
backfield. Too many times last season, the cornerbacks and
safeties had to make tackles 10-15 or 20 yards downfield. Then
the opposing quarterbacks would be able to dissect the Browns’
defense with long throws. It left the defensive backfield too
susceptible to the big play. Another problem that must be fixed
is takeaways vs. giveaways. The Browns were tied for 25th in
the league at minus-eight last season. Turning the ball over eight
more times than taking it away is not good enough. The Browns
must be more aggressive in forcing fumbles and intercepting
opposing quarterbacks. The lack of big plays on defense last
season hurt the Browns in a number of different ways. Pettine is
likely to alter that with his hard-charging approach.
Defensive Player to Watch
As the sixth overall pick in the 2013 draft, the Browns had
high hopes for Mingo. He played well at times; he struggled
at other times. That’s part of being a rookie in the NFL. Now
entering his second season, Mingo is primed for a huge
improvement. He had one sacks in each of his first three games
but managed just two sacks the rest of the season. In the
offseason, Mingo put on some eight to improve strength and
agility. A new coaching staff will be an adjustment for Mingo, but
through the beginning of training camp, he has looked strong.
Mingo is loaded with talent and he showed that early last season.
If he find more consistency, the Browns will be rewarded with
the all-around stellar player they took sixth overall.
Browns Special Teams
After two subpar seasons, kicker Billy Cundiff bounced back
to connect 21-of-26 field goals. Cundiff also converted all 32 extra
point attempts. He needs to improve his distance on kickoffs,
however, because field position is vital throughout an NFL game.
Punter Spencer Lanning struggled to find consistency, especially
pinning teams deep. Lanning punted the ball 84 times for a 43.8
average. Travis Benjamin could be a difference-maker on special
teams but he’s coming off an ACL injury. Before Benjamin was
injured, he averaged 11.7 yards per punt return and scored on
a 79-yarder against the Buffalo Bills on Oct. 3. In that game, he
set a franchise record with 179 yards in returns. The Browns
need better production on the coverage units and would benefit
greatly from takeaways in that department.
Prediction
Expect another season below .500 for the Browns. They made
some roster additions in free agency and through the draft, but
there’s not enough all the way around to see a winning record by
the end of the season. Getting their younger players to play well
should help with the team’s confidence. It’s important for Pettine
to get control of the locker room if they start off slow.